Agitator aerator for liquids



Aug. 27, 1929. T. A. ROWAND AGITATOR AERATOR FOR LIQUIDS Filed June 23,-"1927 syfim 2% i ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

UNITED STATES THOMAS ARTHUR ROWAND, OF

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AGITATOR AERATOR FOR LIQUIDS.

Application filed June 23,

In the preparation of liquids, employed by bread bakeries, it iscustomary to agitate the same.

In the preparation of the liquid it is placed in a suitable containerand is agitated by means of a rotary stirrer which is immersed in theliquid.

It is advantageous also to aerate the liquid for various reasons, and myobject is to provide convenient and eifectivemeans for simultaneouslyagitating and aerating the liquid.

I effect this by providing the agitator with air passages leading fromthe center of the agitator to itsperimetral edge or surface, the hollowinterior of the agitator being in communication with atmosphere. Toincrease the effect of the suction which draws the air outwardly throughthese passages, the same are formed with increasing cross-' sectionalcapacity toward their outer ends, and the passages are so disposed thatthey trail in reference to the direction of rotation of the agitator.

The air is preferably admitted to the interior of the agitator throughan axial bore in the driving shaft, the upper or outer end of said borebeing in communication with atmosphere.

Other novel features of construction, and also of arrangement of'partswill appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the bestembodiment of the principles of my invention now known to me, Fig. 1 isa vertical section showing the agitator and its driving shaft; Fig. 2 isan elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the agitator base;Fig. 4 is an elevation of the cap of the agitator, and Fig. 5 is anelevation on reduced scale showing the agitator-aerator assembled.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the container which is provided with abottom dis charge port to which is connected the leadoft pipe 2 having avalve 3. The container is usually of substantially the general contourshown. The agitator, which is immersed in the liquid within a shortdistance of the bottom of the container is shown comprised of thepreferably circular base plate 4 and cap 5 which fits down on the baseplate and is detachably secured thereto, as

1927. Serial No. 200,809.

by the cap screws 5 whose heads are countersunk in the cap 5. The neck 6of the cap is cylindrical and internally threaded so that the lowerthreaded end of the driving shaft 7 may be screwed therein. The upperend of the driving shaft is connected with power means for rotating theshaft and with it the agitator. Thus I have shown the electric motor 8whose shaft 9 is face of the base, their top walls being formed bythecap 5 when the latter is secured in place.

The passages are of progressively enlarging cross-sectional area towardtheir outer ends, this increase being preferably provided for by bothwidening and deepen ing the passages.

The passages are also arranged to trail relative to the direction ofrotation of the agitator which is assumed to be clockwise, asillustrated in Fig. 3.

It is thus seen that the shape and disposal of the passages aids in theapplication of the centrifugal forces.

It is apparent that while the agitator is stationary the liquid willenter the passages 14 and rise in the bore 11 to the height of theliquid in the container. When the agitator is rotated the centrifugalforces set up in the liquid in the container result in drawing theliquid out of the bore and'the passages and also in a reduction of theinternal pressure in the liquid in the container. This causes the air tobe sucked in from atmosphere through the ports 12, the bore 11 and thepassages 14 into the body of liquid where it becomes thoroughly mixedwith the latter.

The result is that the proper quantity of air is introduced into anduniformly mixed with the liquid, thus effecting its desired aeration.

No air compressor or other source of supply of air under pressure isthus required.

The introduction of the air also aids in the mixing effect on the liquidby its agita tion.

lVhat I desire to claim is 1. An aerating agitator having a stem andhead, said stem having a bore extending longitudinally therethrough,said head having a central chamber with which said here communicates andhaving passages leading from the chamber and opening peripherally of thehead, said passages havin side walls diverging outwardly from thechamber and having top and bottom walls also diverging out- 'wardly fromthe chamber, the side walls of each passage forming segmento-cylindricalsurfaces curved backwardly from the direction of travel of the head, theside walls of each passage joining the adjacent side walls ()1 theadjacent passages at an acute angle facing the direction of travel ofthe head.

2. An aerating agitator having a stem and head, said stem having a boreextending longitudinally therethrough, said head having a centralchamber with which said bore communicates, said bore having its lowerend taperingly enlarged downwardly to the diameter of the chamber, saidchamber having passages leading from the chamber and openingperipherally of the head, said passages having side walls divergingoutwardly from the chamber and having top and bottom walls alsodiverging outwardly from the chamber, the side walls of each passageforming segmento-cylindrical surfaces curved baekwardly from thedirection of travel of the head, the side walls of each passage joiningthe adjacent side walls of the adjacent passages at an acute anglefacing the direction of travel of the head.

3. An aerating agitator having a stem and head, said stem having a boreextending longitudinally therethrough, said head having a centralchamber with which said bore communicates, said bore having its lowerend taperingly enlarged downwardly to the diameter of the chamber, saidchamber having passages leading from the chamber and open ingperipherally of the head, said passages having side walls divergingoutwardly from the chamber and having top and bottom walls alsodiverging outwardly from the chamber, the topwalls being horizontal andthe bottom walls being inclined downwardly whereby air passing throughthe passages tends to flow in a slightly downward direction, the sidewalls of each passage forming segmento-cylindrical surfaces curvedbackwardly from the direction of travel of the head, the side walls ofeach passage joining the adjacent side walls of the adjacent passages atan acute angle facing the direction of travel of the head.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pa, this 21st day of J une, 1-927.

THOMAS ARTHUR ROVVAND.

